Thinking About Saltwater

[Lynden]

Live rock adds diversity, which will help make a more resilient ecosystem. It also processes nitrogenous wastes via the bacteria living on it. It is also beautiful to look at.

Clowns may breed in captivity but the young can be difficult to raise.

 

[kribensis12]

Thank's!!!!!!! Is it true that all clowns are born female? And then they transition to male when paired up?

 

[Lynden]

All are born male.

 

[kribensis12]

Ohhh, my mistake! Then how do they pair up? Becasue they would all want to fight as they are male, adn they would just kill eachother? Sorry, im just so full of question's!

 

[SkiFletch]

They are capable of changing sex. All clowns are born immature males as Lynden said. In a group, the largest one will become a dominant female, the second largest a mature dominant male. If more than two clownfish are kept together, the rest will remain immature males.

 

[kribensis12]

So basically, if i put 2 together, 1 will turn female?

 

[SkiFletch]

So basically, if i put 2 together, 1 will turn female?

Well, the drawback is if you put two same-sized mature females in the tank, you could have issues. Your best bet is to put a big one and a small one in together

 

[kribensis12]

Thank's! I am reading up on them, and was wondering if the male+ female will rear the younf like Freshwater Cichlid's( they are so pretty!)? Also, if i were to get a anemone( spelling?) what would i feed it adn would a sun-glo bulb sustain it?

 

[SkiFletch]

No, clownfish do not rear their young like cichlids. They will ferociously defend their egg clutch but once hatched, the fry are on their own. Anemones are very difficult organisms to keep alive, and I never reccomend them for beginners. Can they be kept alive by newbies? Sure. Do I think newbies SHOULD keep them, no. They definitely will not live under a sun-glo bulb . If you're interested in nems, I'd say to have a look in the invert section and read through the sticky about them for some backround info

 

[Lynden]

Anemones need large amounts of light to be sustained, if you were to get an azooxanthellate (non-photosynthetic) one it could be but probably wouldn't host clowns.

Whoops, yes I agree with he above they guard the eggs not the hatched young.

 

[kribensis12]

Thank's, i just thouhgt they had a very interesting relationship, and wonderd about them! I am reading on here: http/www.aquaticcommunity.com/clownfish/
In the 5th paragraph that they do, and this is very conflicting! It isnt like cichlid's, where you know they will, theese are just utterly confusing! Have you ever breed/kept Clownfish? If so, could i see some pic's, as most online are drawing's! Thank's!
Krib

 

[SkiFletch]

I've only read of others breeding clownfiish, never tried it myself. If you really are interested in doing it, go out and get the book "Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkerson as it's pretty much the bible on that subject. Here's what little I've gleaned from my reading:

The fry are miniscule and the first difficulty with them is sperating them from the main display aquarium. They will get killed in powerheads, filtration, eaten by shrimp/crabs/inverts/fish, etc within hours. Ideally the clowns lay eggs on something that is removable. Then 6-7 days after they're laid, you remove the eggs to the fry tank, they hatch and then you rear the fry there. Only use a sponge filter in the fry tank.

Next trouble is feeding the fry. They're so small they can only eat live phytoplankton at first and then live rotifers. Eventually they can be weaned onto frozen foods, but phyto and rots to start. Difficulty is you have to have big cultures of each before you try and rear the fry. Also the phyto and rots can really muck up water quality, so water changes are a must.

Those are the biggest challenges, but I'm sure there are plenty more. Lots of people do it successfully though, and many people sell tank-bred clowns. Heck, all the Perculas, Ocellaris, Skunk, and Clarkii clowns my LFS gets in are bred by a relatively local breeder

 

[kribensis12]

Thank's that is alot of help! Another question, could feed them Freshwater Flake? I have a large variety, and Frozen Brine Shrimp!

 

[SkiFletch]

Depends on the flake really. If its decent quality then go ahead, if its the cheapo stuff, its probably not suitable for marine fish. Also the clowns might not eat it, they can be finicky sometimes

 

[cheesy feet]

You seem quite confused lol
As others have said read all the sticky's, really does help to understand everything
I havn't had enough money to set up my own SW yet though